Ratings of Perceived Exertion

The Ratings of Perceived Exertion (RPE) is a scale used to measure how hard you feel your body is working during physical activity. Typically ranging from 1 to 10 or 6 to 20, it allows individuals to rate their exertion based on feelings of effort, fatigue, breathing, and heart rate, rather than on objective measures like speed or weight lifted. RPE helps people gauge their intensity during exercise, ensuring they work at a level suitable for their fitness goals, and it’s particularly useful for adjusting workouts according to personal stamina and health conditions.